1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to hand-holdable containers for products that normally are dispensed from the container into the user's hand or mouth (e.g., various liquid products such as after-shave lotion, hair tonic, hand lotion, liquid soap, cologne, beverages, mouthwash, etc.; various solid products such as vitamin pills, hard candy, etc.; and various powdered products such as talc, spices, soap powder, etc.). More particularly, this invention is concerned with "novelty" type containers for such products, and especially those novelty containers simulating at least some of the anatomical features of an animal.
2. Statement of the Problem
Most hand-holdable containers are immediately thrown away after the product contained therein has been used up. This probably follows from the fact that most containers of this kind are, at best, made with visually distinctive configurations in order to help identify and "sell" the product contained therein--but such containers seem to have very little or no "secondary" appeal and/or utility. This circumstance has been recognized in some limited cases, but has not been fully addressed by prior art novelty containers, and especially those relatively small novelty containers used to dispense products into their user's hand or mouth.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,397 discloses a container generally having the shape of a duck. The liquid contents of the duck-shaped container are dispensed from a threaded spout in the beak or in the neck region of the duck's anatomy. The beak or head serves as the cap of the container. After the contents of the container have been used up, it is especially well suited for use as a duck decoy, or as a child's toy.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,104 discloses a cleansing liquid dispenser that is provided with suction cups for mounting said dispenser to a wall. The top of the dispenser has a nose piece that is compression fitted to a rocket-configured body. When the cleansing liquid is used up, the nose piece is removed to expose a slot suitable for passing coins and thereby allowing the rocket body to be used as a "piggy bank."
3. Solution to the Problem
Applicant's invention seeks to extend the useful life of a wide variety of relatively small, hand-holdable containers by providing such containers with: (1) esthetically pleasing, animal-simulating, configurations, (2) at least one additional opening that serves to render such containers suitable for a wide variety of "secondary uses" and (3) devices for readily opening the additional opening(s) when the original product has been used up.